Chiming timepiece with sound radiating diaphragm



CHIMING' TIMEPIECE WITH SOUND RADIATING'DIAPHRAGM v COUPLED WITH THE SOUND PRODUCER Filed May 18, 1959 March 24, 1964 .IIUIIQGHANS ETAL 3,125,987-

INVENTORS #6272202 (7575973716 BY Pal/Z 17:22

United States Patent Ofiice 3,125,987 CHllVIING THVIEPIECE WITH SOUND RADIATING The subject of this application relates to a chime producer of a striking clock in which a diaphragm is mechanically coupled with the sound producer for radiating the sound of the vibrations produced thereby and is characterized in that the means for fixing the diaphragm in the mounting frame of the assembly, consisting of the diaphragm and sound producer, is constructed so that it is variable in such a manner as regards the suspension elasticity that the natural frequency of the diaphragm system is adjustable for the purpose of obtaining selected transmission of certain frequencies of the spectrum of the oscillations supplied by the sound producer and which are to be amplified.

The invention relates to a development of the chime producing means as for instance described in U.S. Patent No. 2,793,608, issued May 27, 1957. According to the present invention, a folded or pleated diaphragm is used instead of a funnel-shaped diaphragm.

It is however advantageous to use a folded membrane or diaphragm stretched on the longitudinal sides of a rectangular frame, of approximately the same length as the frame and of uniform fold or pleat profile along its entire length. A stamped spring of closed ring shape is preferably used for connecting the frame with the gong block and the spring is fixed to one end of the frame, extends parallel to the frame and is connected to the gong block or an arm fixed thereon through the intermediary of a pillar. The diaphragm is connected to the end of the arm on the gong block by means of a pin which passes through an aperture in the arm and, after being adjusted, is clamped by means of a screw.

The invention enables the diaphragm gong to be made very narrow. This is important to enable the diaphragm gong to be fitted in the very shallow cases of modern timepieces. The invention consequently allows advantageous utilization of the space available. At the same time the acoustic qualities are at least as good as in the case of the diaphragm hitherto employed. Another advantage of the invention is that the adjustment of the diaphragm to te preferred frequency range of the sound producer is far simpler and not so delicate as in the case of the diaphragm gong according to the said patent. There this adjustment is effected by a spring which is given more or less initial stress. In the case of the invention, however, it is mostly sufficient to effect the adjustment by suitably selecting the resilient strength of the stamped ring-shaped ring and at the most to adjust the spring tension once and for all so that in the manufacture readjustment of the spring is practically unnecessary.

Two embodiments of the invention are illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawing, in which FIG. 1 shows the first embodiment of the invention in side elevation;

FIG. 2 is a section taken on line AA of FIG. 1 in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a detailed view showing the connection of the diaphragm with the pin, and

FIGS. 5 to 7 show the second embodiment of the invention.

In FIGS. 1 to 4 a rectangular sheet-metal frame is r 3,125,987 Patented Mar. 24, 1964 designated by 1 and is a common holding frame. This frame 1 has at both ends bent-over flaps or means 1a,

the shape of which is adapted to the fold or pleat profile of the diaphragm 2. The diaphragm 2 is stretched between the frame 1 and bars 3, for example, with the aid of hollow rivets. The gong block is designated by 4 and has a lever arm 4a. It is attached to a stamped leaf spring 6 of closed ring-shape by means of a pillar 5, which spring is secured on the frame by means of screws 7.

The diaphragm 2 is a folded diaphragm with V-shaped fold profile and approximately the same length as the frame 1. It is positively connected to the lever arm 4a of the gong block by means of a pin or actuating rod 8. For this purpose the pin 8 is passed through an aperture 8, FIG. 3, in the arm and, after the initial tension of the spring 6 has been adjusted, is clamped by a screw 9. The other end of the pin 8 is provided with a bent-over part 801 which engages in the fold or pleat of the diaphragm. As can be seen from FIG. 4, the pin 8 is firmly anchored to the diaphragm by means of a sheet-metal anglepiece 10 and a suitable flat portion. 1b designates a rib pressed out from the sheet-metal frame and serves to strengthen the same. The gong rods are designated by 11.

FIGS. 5 to 7 show another form of construction. Here the fold or pleat profile of the diaphragm is in the form of a W. The diaphragm 50 is connected with the sheetmetal frame 51 in the same way as in the first form of construction. The side parts 51a of the frame are adapted to the profile of the diaphragm, as can be seen from FIG. 6. The pin 52, which connects the diaphragm with the arm of the gong block, is fixed on the diaphragm in a different manner to that employed in the first form of construction. As can be seen from FIG. 7, two anglepieces 53 and 54 are riveted to the middle portion of the diaphragm. The anglepieces are made from metal and the pin 52 is connected to the inner anglepiece 53 by hard soldering, welding or the like. Otherwise the arrangement is the same as in the first form of construction. It goes without saying that the folded diaphragm used according to the invention can be made with a different fold or pleat profile to that indicated in the examples described without departing from the scope of the invention.

We claim:

1. Sounding mechanism for striking clocks comprising a gong block carrying gong rods, a diaphragm, a common holding frame to which the diaphragm and the gong block are secured so that the frame with the diaphragm and the gong block form a single unitary structure, a leaf spring to secure the gong block to the frame at one face thereof and overlying said face, a lever arm rigidly secured to the gong block, an actuating rod connecting the lever arm and the diaphragm, the diaphragm consisting of a folded diaphragm of W-shape in cross section protruding at the other face of the frame, the length of the diaphragm fold at the central meeting edge being a multiple of the width of its base, and means to secure the rod to the diaphragm at the fold thereof.

2. Sounding mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the frame at its small sides is provided with angle parts protruding from the same face of the frame as the diaphragm, the angle parts being shaped corresponding to the cross-section of the diaphragm and arranged in the immediate vicinity to the free edges of the diaphragm at both small end-parts of the diaphragm.

3. Sounding mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the leaf spring is a closed ring provided with means to fix the spring to one end of the frame so that it extends parallel to one face thereof, and in which a pillar is provided to connect the leaf spring to the frame.

(References on following page) References Cited in the file of thisv patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Wiehl Apr. 12, 1927 High Jan. 6, 1931 Bristol et a1. June 9, 1931 4 Hicks Sept. 1, 1931 Hinckley et a1. Feb. 9, 1932 Duflfy Feb. 16, 1932 Schlenker Oct. 24, 1933 Junghans et a1. May 28, 1957 

1. SOUNDING MECHANISM FOR STRIKING CLOCKS COMPRISING A GONG BLOCK CARRYING GONG RODS, A DIAPHRAGM, A COMMON HOLDING FRAME TO WHICH THE DIAPHRAGM AND THE GONG BLOCK ARE SECURED SO THAT THE FRAME WITH THE DIAPHRAGM AND THE GONG BLOCK FORM A SINGLE UNITARY STRUCTURE, A LEAF SPRING TO SECURE THE GONG BLOCK TO THE FRAME AT ONE FACE THEREOF AND OVERLYING SAID FACE, A LEVER ARM RIGIDLY SECURED TO THE GONG BLOCK, AN ACTUATING ROD CONNECTING THE LEVER ARM AND THE DIAPHRAGM, THE DIAPHRAGM CONSISTING OF A FOLDED DIAPHRAGM OF W-SHAPE IN CROSS SECTION PROTRUDING AT THE OTHER FACE OF THE FRAME, THE LENGTH OF THE DIAPHRAGM FOLD AT THE CENTRAL MEETING EDGE BEING A MULTIPLE OF THE WIDTH OF ITS BASE, AND MEANS TO SECURE THE ROD TO THE DIAPHRAGM AT THE FOLD THEREOF. 